Automated blogging and skills portfolio management system

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

N/A

BACKGROUND

p-00031. Technical Field

p-0004The present invention relates generally to blogging, and specifically to the use of mobile devices for blogging.

p-00052. Related Art

p-0006In the last decade, mobile devices of all kinds have proliferated all over the world. Some of them are small tiny cellular phones, others are more powerful and flexible smartphones, some are small electronic tablets and tiny netbooks, etc. All of these are very convenient to use.

p-0007The Internet is a very powerful communication means and quite often, the mobile devices available in the world can employ the Internet for communication. Most of them also employ the telecom networks (such as cellular networks) for communication. Some of the mobile devices can use both the Internet as well as the telecom networks for communications.

p-0008People using mobile devices such as mobile phones often find a camera embedded in the mobile phones and take pictures. Some of them are also capable of emailing these pictures to friends. Of late, some mobile devices have become capable of displaying digital videos and movies. Some of them are also able to capture small digital video clips.

p-0009Quite a few websites make it possible for a user to use his laptop or PC to upload photos to the websites. Such photos are typically uploaded to an album online and sometimes shared with friends. The YouTube service on the Internet makes it possible for a user to record a digital video and upload them from their laptop or personal computers to the YouTube server. Such videos can also be shared with friends.

p-0010There are currently no generally available means by which a group of people can simultaneously participate in creating a blog on a sports event that they are currently participating in, or witnessing, or for a outdoor entertainment event that they visit. There are no easy to use methods by which all the people watching a game can share their observations while they are viewing the game, especially if they have to share photos, observations, share videos, etc. There is no available solution currently in the market by which these players (in sports events) and spectators can make comments about a local sports match they are playing in or witnessing, while that match is going on. For example, if a youth soccer league match is being witnessed by several parents and other spectators, there is no easy way in which all of them can take pictures and share them among themselves and with others (such as their friends at schools, etc.). In addition, there are no easy means by which the players, spectators, etc. witnessing a match can share their observations regarding the match with others. What most people do is to take photos on their cameras or cellular phones and save them for subsequent (quite often after a few weeks) upload to online albums. Some of them, much later at home, sometimes several days later, upload it to a website album. They then send an email to their friends (assuming they know their email addresses, or some form of contact information, which is often not the case) asking them to view their online album. This is not only a laborious process but also time consuming and inconvenient. The recipients of these emails have to often use their laptops to read the emails and then visit the online album whose link may have been provided in the email. Quite often these albums contain several photos and the viewer does not know the details of each photo and does not know the context of individual photos.

p-0011There are currently no easy means by which a youth athlete can as create a skills portfolio. It would be useful if a youth athlete or sportsman could maintain a skills portfolio, such as the ones painters and other artists do, when they paint a number of canvases and carry them physically in their physical portfolios, so that they can show it to others, as needed. There are no easy ways in which a youth athlete can make such a portfolio of his/her sports skills for sharing.

p-0012Most young people are familiar with Facebook accounts and twitter services and often use them. But beyond following some tweets provided by celebrities and their favorite stars (such as Madonna), most young people don't find Twitter useful. Most young people in urban areas have access to computers and laptops and use them to maintain a Facebook account, through which they post their photos, and details of their hobbies, habits, personal lifestyles etc. Facebook pages are used to talk about their personal lives, share information about their idiosyncrasy, etc. In addition, Facebooks pages are full of personal details that are often not flattering, and are far from being professional.

p-0013In view of the foregoing considerations, it is clear that there is a need for an improved system and method that is capable of facilitating easy blogging by a multitude of people/spectators witnessing a sports event or some other public event. There is a need for such spectators to share comments and observation regarding that particular event. There is a need for a solution wherein a user can generate sports blogs in an easy and automated fashion, and also to use such blogs, or some portion thereof, to share information with others. These things don't exist today. There is need for leveraging such blogs to create and manage skills portfolios, but such facilities do not exist today.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

p-0014The present invention is directed to apparatus and methods of operation that are further described in the following Brief Description of the Drawings, the Detailed Description of the Invention, and the claims. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is a perspective block diagram of an automated blogging and skills portfolio management system accessible via the Internet and telecom networks that facilitates easy blog message posting by a multitude of people witnessing a public or private event (such as a sports event or any other event), automated blog generation, and skills portfolio management (such as a sports skill portfolio managed by a player or performer).

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> is a perspective block diagram of a system for automatic sports blogging and sports skills portfolio management which makes it possible for players and spectators in a live game to blog messages from their mobile device, wherein the messages comprise of a digital photo, an audio recording, a digital video recording, textual message or a combination thereof.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> is a flow chart of an exemplary operation of an automated blogging and skills portfolio management system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

p-0018The present invention provides an automated blogging and skills portfolio management system <b>105</b> that is capable of facilitating easy blogging by a multitude of people witnessing a sports event or some other public event, wherein players, spectators and others can provide comments and observation regarding that particular event while the event is going on. In fact, the present invention makes it possible for the players, spectators and others to provide comments and observations in the form of audio recording, that provide the context to any digital photos and videos they provide. The present invention makes it possible to simultaneously create a blog for that event, in an automated mode (without any special setup or extensive operations) that can be shared with others. Most importantly, the present invention makes it possible for players and others to leverage such blogs to create and manage skills portfolios for the players.

p-0019<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is a perspective block diagram of an automated blogging and skills portfolio management system <b>105</b> accessible via the Internet and telecom networks that facilitates easy blog message posting by a multitude of people witnessing a public or private event (such as a sports event or any other event), automated blog generation, and skills portfolio management (such as a sports skill portfolio managed by a player or performer), is a perspective block diagram of an automated blogging and skills portfolio management system <b>105</b> accessible via the Internet and telecom networks that facilitates easy blog message posting by a multitude of people witnessing a public or private event (such as a sports event or any other event), automated blog generation, and skills portfolio management (such as a sports skill portfolio managed by a player or performer). The automated blogging and skills portfolio management system <b>105</b> comprises a crowd-sourcing front end <b>111</b> capable of receiving a plurality of messages from a plurality of mobile devices <b>113</b>, <b>115</b> wherein each of the plurality of messages comprises at least one of a digital photo, a user recorded audio, a digital video and a textual input. It also comprises a web server <b>107</b> communicatively coupled to the crowd-sourcing front end <b>111</b> that facilitates processing of the plurality of messages and storage of the plurality of messages in storage components <b>127</b>, and a publishing component <b>123</b> that is used to publish at least one blog based at least on the plurality of messages.

p-0020The web server <b>107</b> associates each of the plurality of messages with a current event. For example, if a group of people watching a college football game post blogging messages from the mobile devices <b>113</b>, <b>115</b>, the associated event is the football game, a reference to which is maintained by the web server <b>107</b>, and that reference is incorporated into the plurality of blogging messages posted by the group of people during the match, and soon after that match. These messages can include observations and comments made, in textual form with textual inputs, in audio form using recorded audio messages, etc.

p-0021The web server <b>107</b> provides the plurality of messages in a blog that is created in an automated fashion, and it also provides them to the mobile devices <b>113</b>, <b>115</b> as messages posted to an associated user group. Specifically, the web server <b>107</b> provides access from the plurality of mobile devices <b>113</b>, <b>115</b> employing a downloadable mobile app available in the plurality of mobile devices <b>113</b>, <b>115</b>.

p-0022The web server <b>107</b> employs the publishing component <b>123</b> to dynamically generate a blog that is associated with the current event (sporting event or any other event), based on the plurality of messages received for that current event, wherein the blog is accessible on the Internet and telecom networks. The collection of messages received for the current event is managed by the web server, and a current event message window is selectively employed. For example, for a football game event at a high school, the current event message window may open up on the previous day and it can close on the day of the football game, immediately after the end of the game.

p-0023A skills portfolio management component <b>121</b>, communicatively coupled to the web server <b>107</b> and to the publishing component <b>123</b> makes it possible for a user to create and manage a skills portfolio. For example, a youth athlete can create a skills portfolio, include references to the blog in that skills portfolio, add personal details and contact information, and share that with college recruiters and others. In general, the skills portfolio management component <b>121</b> facilitates incorporation, by a user, of at least one of the plurality of messages, into a skills portfolio associated with the user, that is selectively accessible from the Internet and telecom networks.

p-0024The web server <b>107</b> facilitates blogging for a plurality of user groups that are managed via the web server <b>107</b>. In specific, it comprises a user group management module <b>129</b> that facilitates user group management. Each of the plurality of user groups comprises a list of members, wherein each member of the list of members can participate in posting blogging messages to blogs associated with an individual user group. Members can also access these individual blogs, from more than one of the plurality of user groups based on their membership to these user groups. Such access can be over the Internet or over telecom networks (such as cellular networks), and they can be via PC/laptop <b>115</b> with browsers or mobile devices <b>113</b>, <b>115</b> with a specific downloadable mobile app (such as the SportsDuJour mobile app). In addition, for mobile devices <b>113</b>, <b>115</b> that comprise micro browsers, the blogs can also be accessed using these micro browsers, although sending of messages to these blogs would require the downloadable mobile app for easy and convenient blogging. An access manager module <b>125</b> of the web server <b>107</b> facilitates access to blogs, processing membership requests to user groups, access security information management, etc.

p-0025The web server <b>107</b> facilitates the posting of one of the plurality of messages from an associated one of the plurality of mobile devices <b>113</b>, <b>115</b>, by a member of the list of members associated with one of the plurality of user groups. The storage components <b>127</b> are associated with one or more of the plurality of user groups. The plurality of mobile devices <b>113</b>, <b>115</b> each employ the downloadable mobile app <b>141</b> to post blogging messages, to review messages provided by the web server <b>107</b> and to review user group specific blogs.

p-0026The selective automatic incorporation of posted messages into a user's skills portfolio is supported by the web server <b>107</b>. For example, a youth athlete can configure his user account such that blog messages (comprising digital photos, audio recording, digital video content, etc.) from specific contributors (parents, coaches, etc.) can be automatically included into the skills portfolio for that user. In a related embodiment, all messages from a specific user account or phone number are processed and incorporated into the skills portfolio for that user. The youth athlete can subsequently edit them, delete them or accept them as presented, using the skills portfolio management component <b>121</b>.

p-0027The skills portfolio management component <b>121</b> facilitates creation of “recommendations”, “performance reviews” and “feedback”, and their management by a user. For example, a youth athlete can receive audio, digital video and/or textual recommendations from one or more people, such as from his coaches, teachers, etc. The web server <b>107</b> provides web pages that facilitate such interactions by a user with the skills portfolio management component <b>121</b>. These recommendations can be ‘accepted’, ‘rejected’ or ‘deleted’ by a user (such as a youth athlete).

p-0028In one embodiment, the skills portfolio management component <b>121</b> as well as the crowd-sourcing front end are part of the web server <b>107</b>.

p-0029In one embodiment of the automated blogging and skills portfolio management system <b>105</b>, a publishing component <b>123</b> is associated with each of the plurality of user groups that are currently available, and the publishing component <b>123</b> dynamically generates a blog for each of the plurality of user groups for review by a user. Such review can be conducted using the downloadable mobile app <b>141</b> on one of the plurality of mobile devices <b>113</b>, <b>115</b>. The web server <b>107</b> also facilitates review of the blog for each of the plurality of user groups over the Internet. For example, it presents the blog in user group specific web pages provided for blog review purposes.

p-0030In one embodiment, the skills portfolio management component <b>121</b> facilitates the incorporation a blog message created by a member of one of the plurality of user groups into a corresponding user's skill portfolio. For example, if a parent of a youth athlete is a member of a soccer club group, and blogs a message during a soccer match, the blogged message is automatically incorporated into the skills portfolio of the youth athlete. The youth athlete can subsequently edit it or modify it, as necessary. Or he can accept it as it is and use it as part of the skills portfolio.

p-0031In general, the skills portfolio management component <b>121</b> facilitates, via the web server <b>107</b>, the management of the user's skill portfolio by a user (such as a member of one of the plurality of user groups), wherein the management comprises editing, enhancing, replacing, modifying, sharing, adding, or deleting at least one portion of the user's skill portfolio.

p-0032In one embodiment, the web server <b>107</b> facilitates the retrieval of message from a mobile device <b>113</b> based on the associated user group. For example, it facilitates retrieval from the mobile device <b>113</b> for review as a message in a list of available relevant messages, or as part of a blog for that user group. The web server <b>107</b> also facilitates the retrieval of the message using mobile device <b>113</b> based on a current event, such as a championship game for the season.

p-0033The user group management module <b>129</b> makes it possible to create user groups, manage user groups, add members to them, delete members, etc. In one embodiment, the plurality of user groups managed by the user group management module <b>129</b> are sports related groups and wherein the list of members for each of the plurality of user groups comprises players, their parents, sports fans and spectators. In a different embodiment, the plurality of user groups managed are music related groups (such as orchestra music group, high school band group, choir group, jazz group, etc.) and wherein the list of members for each of the plurality of user groups comprises players of musical instruments, their teachers, and parents, etc.

p-0034The publishing component <b>123</b>, in general, helps publish a blog based on received blog messages, such as those posted by spectators/audiences during a live event. For example, it helps publish a sports blog for each of the plurality of sports related user groups created and maintained by the automated blogging and skills portfolio management system <b>105</b>.

p-0035The automated blogging and skills portfolio management system <b>105</b> also comprises a syndicating component <b>131</b> that makes it possible to share the various blog (sports related, music related, education related, etc.) with one or more external servers associated with news paper companies as part of syndication operation. For example, all high school sports related blogs are customized for a newspaper syndication customer and presented via a special syndication front end (look and feel customized as necessary) to a newspaper syndication customer server <b>117</b> (newspaper company) that selectively reuses a portion of one or more blogs in its online or printed versions of newspaper editions. In addition, the same blogs (or more specifically, a current edition/version of those blogs as they pertain to an event of interest) are forwarded to newspapers and magazines (that are part of the syndication group) as an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed.

p-0036In general, event specific blogs are dynamically created and presented by the skills portfolio management system <b>105</b>. In addition, the blogs for the plurality of user groups is created dynamically based on messages received for those groups from the plurality of users experiencing, viewing or participating in those events, the messages being sent primarily from their mobile devices, such as cellular phones, tablets, netbooks, smartphones, laptops etc.

p-0037<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> is a perspective block diagram of a system for automatic sports blogging and sports skills portfolio management <b>205</b> which makes it possible for players and spectators in a live game to blog messages from their mobile device, wherein the messages comprise of a digital photo, an audio recording, a digital video recording, textual message or a combination thereof. The system for automatic sports blogging and sports skills portfolio management <b>205</b> comprises a server <b>207</b> capable of collecting messages from a plurality of user's laptop/computer/mobile device <b>243</b>. The mobile devices <b>243</b>, <b>245</b> are used by players and spectators during a sporting event, wherein each of the messages posted by them comprises at least one of a digital photo, an audio recording and a textual input. The server <b>207</b> automatically presents a blog associated with the sporting event (such as a varsity state championship match), based on the messages posted. Other users can access the blog over the Internet and telecom networks or using a downloadable mobile app on their mobile devices <b>243</b>.

p-0038The server <b>207</b> comprises a sports skills portfolio management component <b>213</b> that facilitates management of a sports skills portfolio by each of the registered players. A registration module <b>229</b> facilitates player registration, and each player (youth athlete in general) is presented a player profile and a player sports skills portfolio, that they can then manage, and share with others. Parents of players, their friends, and other sports fans too, can register (via the web server <b>207</b> or the mobile device <b>243</b>) to a) become members of one or more sports related user groups, b) acquire a downloadable mobile app that can be installed on their mobile devices <b>243</b>, that facilitates blogging to those sports related groups c) post blog messages from their mobile phones <b>243</b> and laptops as they are watching a match/game/sports event.

p-0039The sports skills portfolio management component <b>213</b> enables the addition of one or more posted messages (from the blog created) by one of the players into a corresponding sports skills portfolio. The sports skills portfolio management component <b>213</b> also facilitates selective sharing of the sports skills portfolio managed by the players with other users and with authorized external entities. It also facilitates solicitation of recommendations by the players from coaches, teachers and friends, etc.

p-0040The posted blog messages from the plurality of mobile devices <b>243</b>, <b>245</b> typically originate at the sporting event and are sent by users who are players, coaches, spectators and sports fans. The sporting event is listed at the server <b>207</b>, and the blog associated with the sporting event is automatically created by the server and presented for review by users, and it comprises at least one or more of these blog messages posted live by users during a sporting event.

p-0041A blog creation module <b>215</b> in the web server <b>207</b> manages automatic blog creation for a sporting event. An event management module <b>239</b> in the web server <b>207</b> makes it possible to enter information regarding sporting events and subsequently monitor messages collected for those events. It facilitates collection of blog posts by users during a sporting event, accepting blog posts between a start time and a stop time (in general). The blogging is thus “open” for a certain window of blogging” between the start and stop times specified by a event manager (a user in charge of that particular event). The server <b>205</b> facilitates addition, modification and enhancement to a blog associated with the sporting event after collecting messages from the plurality of mobile devices for a sporting event.

p-0042Blogs for a sporting event are in a current state for a few days, called the ‘window of current access’ and then become a target for archival. The server <b>207</b> facilitates archival of the blog after a window of current access expires. An archival manager module <b>237</b> in the web server <b>207</b> is responsible for archival of blogs, and it handles all management of archived blogs. The server <b>207</b> makes the blog available for access using a personal computer or the plurality of mobile devices during the window of current access. When it expires, the blog goes into an archived state, from which the user can still retrieve it, as necessary.

p-0043Each of the posted blog messages comprises at least one of a digital streaming video, a recorded digital video, a streaming audio and recorded audio. For each blogging message posted, the server compiles a primary player identification, an event identification, a location identification, a message contributor identification, an event date, an organization identification, and a region identification. For example, if a blogging message is posted by a user using the mobile device <b>243</b> or <b>245</b>, the primary player identification is determined from user input provided or from a registration information stored by the registration module <b>229</b> (that identifies the primary player). The event identification is determined based on current active events, or from user input provided. A location identification is determined from event information available at the server <b>207</b>, or from GPS coordinates 9 or other GPS information) provided by the mobile device <b>243</b>. A message contributor identification is determined by a user account information for the user, or from a phone number for that user (entered by the user or retrieved from his registration information). An event date is determined from a calendar of events maintained by the server <b>207</b>. An organization identification is determined from user input from the blog or from an organization associated with the primary player identification. A region identification is solicited from the user or determined from a combination of sources—primary player identification, GPS coordinates, calendar entries, and organization details.

p-0044A user group management module <b>217</b> facilitates creation of user groups for various sports groups, sports clubs, sports teams, etc. It facilitates addition of members to those user groups, such as addition of players, etc. It helps maintain lists of players of various sports teams, clubs, etc. It also makes it possible to identify primary player identifications for other blogging users, such as parents of players (or their friends, etc.)

p-0045<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> is a flow chart of an exemplary operation <b>301</b> of an automated blogging and skills portfolio management system. The processing starts at a start block <b>303</b> when the user's blog message is received by the server <b>107</b>. Typically, a user of the mobile device <b>113</b>, that comprises the necessary and compatible mobile app, takes a photo, records a message and creates a message. Then the user selects a user group from a list those that the user is currently a member of (or associated with) and posts the message. The message is communicated to the server <b>107</b>.

p-0046Then, at a next block <b>305</b>, the server receives a plurality of messages from a plurality of mobile devices <b>113</b>, <b>115</b>, by means of a crowd-sourcing front end <b>111</b>. Each of the plurality of messages comprises at least one of a digital photo, a user recorded audio, a digital video and a textual input.

p-0047Then, at a next block <b>307</b>, the server <b>107</b> starts processing the plurality of messages received. It determines the sender, the primary player (if any is specified), the current event to which the message is to be associated, the user group associated, etc. Then, at a next block <b>309</b>, the web server, as necessary, stores the messages in storage components <b>127</b> before and after processing. Storing the plurality of messages in the storage components typically involves storing audio, digital photos, in file systems or special multi-media servers, and textual data and related information in database records. Each recorded audio is typically received and stored in the form of an MP3 file, an AMR file or a way file (other formats are also contemplated). Each digital photo is typically received and stored in the JPEG format, PNG format etc. Digital videos are received as MPEG2 format. MPEG 4 formats, AVI format, DVI format, etc. Then, at a next block <b>311</b>, the web server <b>107</b> associates each of the plurality of messages with an open current event. The web server <b>107</b> (or the event management module <b>239</b>) provides details of current events, such as a sports event or musical event, based on a calendar of events, a regional identification, etc. If some of the received messages are associated with a current sports event, they are routed to the corresponding user groups and blog frameworks. If other messages are associated with a current musical event (such as an orchestra event), they are also routed to another corresponding user group and blog framework.

p-0048Then, at a next block <b>313</b>, the web server, employing the publishing component <b>123</b> provides a blog for review by users. It also makes the plurality of messages available for access from the plurality of mobile devices employing a downloadable mobile app available in the plurality of mobile devices. The publishing component communicatively coupled to the web server, publishes at least one blog based at least on the plurality of messages.

p-0049Then, at a next block <b>315</b>, the skills portfolio management component incorporates at least one of the plurality of messages into a skills portfolio associated with the user. At a next block <b>317</b>, the user's updated skills portfolio is made available and accessible over the Internet and telecom networks.

p-0050In one embodiment, the web server facilitates blogging for a plurality of user groups managed via the web server, wherein each of the plurality of user groups comprises a list of members, wherein each member of the list of members can participate in posting messages to, and accessing blogs from, more than one of the plurality of user groups.

p-0051In one embodiment, in the block <b>313</b>, the activity of publishing comprises generating dynamically, by the publishing component <b>123</b>, at least one blog that is associated with the current event, based on the plurality of messages, wherein the blog is accessible on the Internet and telecom networks.

p-0052In one embodiment, additional activities conducted by the web server include managing a sports skills portfolio, as instructed by a user, (using a computer or one of the plurality of mobile devices). Typically, managing comprises creating a sports skills portfolio for the user, adding at least one of the plurality of messages to the sports skills portfolio, entering, optionally, a reference to a specific blog or sporting event into the sports skills portfolio, entering user details and contact information, using the web server; and storing the sports skills portfolio in the storage components.

p-0053In another embodiment, additional activities conducted by the web server include sharing the sports skills portfolio with other entities, wherein the other entities are one of college recruiters, sports organizations, schools, newspaper companies and advertisers.

p-0054As one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, the terms “messages” and “blogging messages,” as may be used herein, include all types of messages posted to be blogged by users witnessing or participating in events. The terms “events” includes sporting events such as football and basket ball games, musical events such as the orchestra, concerts, etc.

p-0055Although the present invention has been described in terms of sporting events, it must be clear that the present invention also applies to other types of events and entertainment means.

p-0056The present invention has also been described above with the aid of method steps illustrating the performance of specified functions and relationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of these functional building blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily defined herein for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries and sequences can be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships are appropriately performed. Any such alternate boundaries or sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention.

p-0057The present invention has been described above with the aid of functional building blocks illustrating the performance of certain significant functions. The boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries could be defined as long as the certain significant functions are appropriately performed. Similarly, flow diagram blocks may also have been arbitrarily defined herein to illustrate certain significant functionality. To the extent used, the flow diagram block boundaries and sequence could have been defined otherwise and still perform the certain significant functionality. Such alternate definitions of both functional building blocks and flow diagram blocks and sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention.

p-0058One of average skill in the art will also recognize that the functional building blocks, and other illustrative blocks, modules and components herein, can be implemented as illustrated or by discrete components, application specific integrated circuits, processors executing appropriate software and the like or any combination thereof.

p-0059Moreover, although described in detail for purposes of clarity and understanding by way of the aforementioned embodiments, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments. It will be obvious to one of average skill in the art that various changes and modifications may be practiced within the spirit and scope of the invention, as limited only by the scope of the appended claims.